Meet Lauren
Lauren Leiggi grew up in New Jersey, in the suburbs of New York City. She is the youngest daughter of a New Jersey native and a Dominican immigrant, and even at a young age she was shaped by her family’s history of migration and dedication to their community as government employees. Lauren attended public school with her older sister. Lauren struggled to come out as a lesbian at 16 years old, and given that experience, she did not immediately attend college after high school — instead, she took a non-traditional path, which has led her to over a decade of public service work.
Community College to Ivy League
After working odd jobs for several years, Lauren knew she wanted to continue her education. So, at 21, she enrolled at Middlesex Community College. Lauren then transferred to the University of Pennsylvania. In addition to her studies, Lauren played Division I Women’s Rugby and was a work study student. She worked at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School’s Toll Public Interest Center (TPIC) during the school year, and spent her summers working as a legal assistant at an Intellectual Property Law Firm. Lauren graduated magna cum laude in gender sexuality and women’s studies, with a concentration in sociology — and she successfully completed her honors thesis.
Philadelphia and Temple Law
Lauren continued her work at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School as the office manager for TPIC for two years. As she continued to foster community in Philadelphia, she felt compelled to become an advocate for others and enrolled at the Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law.
While at Temple, she was Co-President of the Student Public Interest Network, President of Outlaw (Temple Law’s LGBTQ+ student organization), Immigration and Human Rights Co-Chair of the National Lawyers Guild, and was on the faculty hiring committee. Lauren was also a law clerk to the Honorable Mia Roberts-Perez in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, who was later appointed in 2022 by President Biden to the Federal District. Lauren worked for the City of Philadelphia Law Department, navigating tort claims, and for the Public Defender Association of Philadelphia — which ignited her passion for indigent defense work. Lauren also worked with Al Otro Lado in Tijuana, Mexico. While in Mexico, she provided services to those seeking asylum in the United States. Additionally, Lauren has participated in numerous name change clinics, criminal expungement clinics, and pardon clinics.
Lauren graduated from Temple Law as a Conwell Scholar, a Rubin-Presser Social Justice Fellow, and a winner of the Beth Cross Award, given to graduates who are planning a career in public interest law and who have demonstrated commitment and dedication to providing legal assistance to underserved populations.
Public Defense in Pittsburgh
Lauren relocated to Pittsburgh in 2021. In her time at the Allegheny County Public Defender’s Office, Lauren has represented thousands of clients at every stage of trial, from preliminary hearings to jury trials and everything in between. She has experience with every type of criminal case, from DUIs and retail thefts, to grand jury indictments, sex offense crimes, and homicides. In each of these cases, Lauren has held the government to the highest burden that the Constitution provides, zealously advocating for her clients as members of our community. She is a two time nominee and finalist for the Rico Award, given to new public defenders who are doing extraordinary work.
In her first year at the Allegheny County Public Defender’s Office, Lauren started the Immigration Consequences Group (ICG), which provides assistance to non-citizen clients facing criminal charges. To date, this group has advised over 800 non-citizen clients — college students, construction workers, and almost life-long Allegheny County residents alike — about the different risks they face within the criminal legal system. Additionally, the ICG has taught numerous legal education events, created online training programs for the Public Defender Association of Pennsylvania, and forged relationships with foreign consulates and local organizations to better support our community members.
Advocacy Outside the Courtroom
Lauren’s dedication to her Pittsburgh community extends beyond her standard responsibilities as a Public Defender and trial attorney. Lauren is the Local Court Unit President of the United Steelworkers, Local 9002. She has collaborated in providing criminal legal education and resources for the community at Pittsburgh Pride, AIDS Free Pittsburgh, and at World Refugee Day. She has provided Know Your Rights presentations for Casa San Jose, and she is a guest lecturer of “crimmigration” (the overlap between immigration and criminal law) at the Duquesne University Thomas R. Kline School of Law for their immigration law course.
Notably, Lauren is a frequent lecturer for other attorneys in continuing their education, specifically for “crimmigration.” She has presented for the Allegheny County Bar Association, the Allegheny County Public Defender’s Office, and the Public Defender Association of Pennsylvania. She is a former board member of Locally Served, a holistic legal representation service for parents and families with complex child welfare cases or hidden disabilities. Lauren is proud to be on the Welcoming Communities Group for the City of Pittsburgh Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs to help recent migrants to the city acclimate to their new community.
Personal Life
Lauren lives with her wife, Sarah Hampton, who is also a Public Defender in Allegheny County and a member of the Immigration Consequences Group. Lauren and Sarah met at Temple Law, and they connected over their shared passion for community advocacy; their first working experience together was along the border, helping victims of domestic violence apply for asylum.
Now, they have made Pittsburgh their home. Lauren and Sarah reside in Point Breeze North, with their rescue dog, Albie, and two rescue cats, Hamilton and Dexter. They are proud aunts to three young boys, and Lauren is a known egg donor to twins. When they find free time, Lauren and Sarah enjoy camping, exploring the Pittsburgh food scene, and attending book club with friends. As former collegiate soccer and rugby players, they are excited to watch the newly formed Pittsburgh Riveters soccer team.
